On This Day in History, August 7

What Happened On This Day – August 7

2008 War Between Russia and Georgia Breaks Out

The conflict began over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway regions of Georgia. When the two provinces broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s and most of the international community did not recognize their independence. Russia on the other hand, backed them and placed peacekeeping forces in the two regions. In 2008, tensions escalated between the two countries after Russia moved a large number of troops in the area. The war ended with Russian victory and with Georgia losing parts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to Russia.

1998 Coordinated bomb attacks in American embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya kill over 200 people

Responsibility for the twin attacks in the capital cities was taken by an Al-Qaeda affiliate Egyptian Islamic Jihad.

1982 George Washington Institutes the Purple Heart

Then known as the Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart is a military decoration. In 1932, on the 200th birth anniversary of Washington, it was decided that the award would given to those wounded or killed while serving in the United States Armed Forces as a result of enemy action on or after April 5, 1917. August 7 is annually observed as Purple Heart Day in the United States.

1974 Daredevil Walks a High Wire Between Twin Towers of the World Trade Center

French high-wire artist Philippe Petit, who was 24 years old at the time, walked 8 times across a high wire between the two towers in 45 minutes. The high wire was was 1,350 feet from the ground.

1960 Ivory Coast Independence

The West African country known as Côte d'Ivoire gained its independence from France after being a member of the French Community for 2 years. Ivory Coast became a French Colony in 1893 under the leadership of explorer Louis Gustave Binger. Felix Houphouet-Boigny became the first president of the independent country and remained in office until his death in 1993.